From previous blog posts you will know that it is crucial that we get our monitoring, evaluation and measuring impact right. And I'm not even mentioning Social Return on Investment... But it takes time and resources, the two things that are getting in short supply. So, we need all the help we can get to make life easier.

The Charities Evaluation Service has produced a 52 page resource which may help. It is a step by step guide covering things like:

• Identifying what data to collect
• Good practice in collecting data
• How to collect data
• Using your data

I have to say, it is well set out, easy to read and useful. You can use the bits you want, or go through the whole document.

And finally, it's FREE to download.

Click here to download:

meonashoestring-795-803.pdf (447 KB)

(download)

Click here to download:

meonashoestring-795-803.pdf (447 KB)

I went on a course yesterday which was all about measuring the impact of what we do. I personally find the job difficult and time consuming. If I'm honest, it tends to slip down the list of priorities when there are so many other things which require attention.

I am starting to realise that this is becoming more and more important to funders and other stakeholders. So off I went to Birmingham to attend the training delivered by NCVO under their VIP project (Value of Infrastructure Programme).

This course promised a range of toolkits to help plan, monitor, evidence and communicate the impact of what we do. It did not disappoint, as I came back with a folder full of "tools" to help us do just that. What it also did was give me the "kick" I needed to actually do something about tracking whether our work is making a difference.

Part 2 of the course is a session in June after which I will be able to use the tools on-line which will, hopefully, make life easier.

NCVO is allowing us to share the tools with the sector so here is one which may be relevant to your organisations. CVS will be rolling this out to members at some point this year, but we need some time to digest it all before we are in a position to do that.

Click here to download:

VIP_Organisation_Dial_March_2011.pdf (2.08 MB)

(download)

Click here to download:

VIP_Organisation_Dial_March_2011.pdf (2.08 MB)